Latch covering



H. L. PRATT LATCH COVERING June 7, 1955 Filed Feb. 5. 1955 United States Patent() LATCH COVERING Herbert L. Pratt, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to W. D. Allen Manufacturing Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application February 3, 1953, Serial No. 334,788

2 Claims. (Cl. 292.-1)A

The present invention relates to latch covering means and is more particularly directed to a mounting means for a glass panel disposed in protective relation to a latch operating means.

In providing certain emergency equipment, such as first-aid supplies, fire hoses and the like, it is desirable that the cabinet containing the emergency equipment be provided with some means for discouraging unnecessary tampering with the cabinet and its contents. Consequently, the door to the cabinet is often constructed so that a glass panel must be broken to gain access to means for opening the door to gain access to the equipment in the cabinet.

The primary objects of the present invention are to provide an improved means for mounting a glass panel in covering relation to a cabinet door latch operating means; to provide a glass panel mounting means which permits, by means of a special tool, removal of the glass panel without breaking it, for purposes of inspection and the repair or replacement of the equipment in the cabinet; to provide a glass panel mounting means which affords easy removal of the glass fragments when it is necessary to break the glass to gain access to the latch covered thereby, to provide means for mounting a glass panel of the type described in generally flush relation to the cabinet door; and to generally provide a simplified, inexpensive, improved mounting means for placing a glass panel in covering relation to a recessed door latch handle.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the disclosure progresses with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a fire hose cabinet adaptable to utilization of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, perspective view of the fire hose cabinet door, showing the glass panel mounted in covering relation to the latch operating handle.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view, illustrating the latch in the cabinet-closed position.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the glass panel mounting taken along the line 4 4 in Figure 2.

The provision of emergency equipment for use in the event of accidents, fires and the like, often requires that the containers for such equipment be provided with means for discouraging access thereto, other than in times of emergency. A readily breakable glass covering for the cabinet door latch is one of the usual means employed to discourage tampering with the emergency equipment. As shown in the drawings, the present invention is directed to means including an improved mounting for a breakable cover for a door latch or the like.

The present invention is illustrated in connection with a fire hose cabinet 1, which is preferably made of sheet metal and includes a flange 2 extending laterally outwardly from the front edge of each of its side walls for mounting the cabinet in a Wall recess. A door 3 is hinged as indicated at 4 to one of the side wall flanges 2, the hinge being preferably of the continuous piano type hinge so that the edges of the door will register accurately with ice the outer edges of the flanges 2. A fire hose 5, which is collapsible to fiat form and folded back vand forth on itself, is supported on the door 3 by a pair of shelf brackets 6 and 6' which include retaining flanges 7 and 7 disposed in spaced relation to the door to hold the folded hose therebetween. A nozzle 8 is attached to one end of the hose and the other end portion 5 extends to a Water faucet 9 inside the cabinet for attachment thereto by means of a threaded coupling 10. The illustrated knock-out portions 11 and 12 in the side walls of the cabinet provide for alternate positions of the water faucet 9.

As shown particularly in Figure 3, the door 3 is provided with a spring latch 13 having a plunger or locking part 15 which is normally resiliently urged outwardly by a spring 14 to a locking position behind the flange 2, said locking part 15 extending to such locking positions through an opening 16 provided in the side wall of the cabinet. The spring latch 13 further includes a ring handle 17 having a lug extension 18, pivoted as indicated at 19, for engagement with the locking part 15 for effecting a releasing movement of the later from behind the flange 2.

The operating handle or ring 17 is disposed within a recessed portion 20 of the cabinet door 3 which receives the ring in flush relation with the outer face of the door. The portion of the recess 20 adjacent the locking part 15 includes an opening affording entry of the lug 18 for connection with the locking part 15. For housing the locking part 15 and the biasing spring 14, there is provided a tubular or U-shaped housing member 21 having an angu- -larly disposed end flange 22, said housing 21 being fixed,

as by welding, to the back of the door 3. The side walls of the housing 21 provide a mounting means for opposite ends of the pivot pin 19. The wall which includes the fiange extension 22 has an intermediate portion thereof partially punched out to provide an inwardly extending ear 23.

The rear or inner portion of the locking part 15 is preferably hollow and includes a forward wall 24 and a rearward wall 25 of relatively shorter depth. The forward wall 24 together with the ear 23 formed in the housing 21 provides a support for opposite ends of a suitable biasing means, such as the spring 14, for urging the locking part outwardly or toward the edge of the door. The rearward wall 25 is disposed for engagement with the free end portion of the lug 18 on the ring handle 17 so that outward movement of the latter effects a retraction of the locking part 15 within its housing 21.

In order that inward movement of the ring 17 will be limited sufficiently to maintain space in which to grasp the ring, the latter is also provided with a pair of lugs 26 which extend in the direction of the inner wall of the recess 20. These lugs are preferably disposed at the top and bottom of the ring 17 to provide a free space between the ring and the recess inner wall at the side opposite the pivot 19.

For deterring any mischievous or unnecessary opening of the cabinet, there is provided a frangible panel covering for the latch handle 17, preferably in the form of a breakable glass plate 27. The recessed position of the handle 17 permits the glass plate 27 to be placed directly against the other surface of the door 3 and it is held in such position by upper and lower brackets 28 and 29, respectively. One of the brackets (28 in this instance) is permanently attached to the door, as by welding, and the other bracket is removably attached as by a socket head screw 30.

Each of the brackets 28 and 29 include a socket or recess 31 and the brackets are disposed on opposite sides of the ring handle 17 with their recesses facing each other in position for supporting the glass panel 27 therebetween. The screw 30 aixing the lower bracket 29 to the cabinet door 3 is preferably of a type which requires for operation, a tool which is not-usually at hand, one example of such -a -screw being one having a hexagonalsocket 32Hand requiring a more or less special tool for removing the screw. In this way the glass panel 27 is not readily removed and -must either be broken or removedbymse of aspecialtoolrto gain access to the latch'handle -17. IConsequently, Vwhile aording access to the latch 'handle f1.7 Without'breaking'ithetglass, for purposes-of inspection and the V"like, fthe described -structnre does deter unnecessary tampering with the contents of the cabinet.

It lis seen, therefore, that the present invention, as embodied in the illustrated structure, -provides a simple andeconornical -safetycover for 'a'door latch, which is constructed and arrangedfto preventnorma'l opening other than by breaking'afglass panel, 1While permitting 'access through'the-useof aspecial tool not generally carried -rby persons Who-)might be tempted totamper with the latch but who "hesistate -to break the glass panel. Further, there -is provided Va glass `safety cover which is substantially Hush with the door surface and, consequently, im-

proves the general appearance of the door as Well as eliminates-the somewhat dangerous projection offered by the usual glass safety cover. Then too, the improved mounting means forvthe lglasspanel, which supports the glass on only twoedges thereof,-providesfor safer removal of the broken glass than when the glass is enclosed on all ffour sides. Most of the broken -glass will fall away from the Vcabinet door, since there is no recess of substantial size'for it to fall into, and the remaining 'fragments can beeasily brushed out ofthe iWay.

Although shown and described with respect lto a particular embodiment, it is not intended to thereby limit'the invention, 'sinceother modifications andl usages might Well be employed without departing from the principles of 'the invention.

I claim:

1. In va cabinet 'door having alatch mechanism comprising 'a handle 4on the outside of the door and a frangible'panel'covering said handle and adapted to be broken away 'to afford vaccess to said handle, means for holding said panel in place comprising a pair of brackets respectively fassociated with opposite marginal portions of said panel `'and secured to Asaid door, l'said brackets havingrecesses vrespectively -receiving the 4entire lengths of the respectively associated marginal panel portions, one of said .brackets being A.displaceahly secured to .said .door to permit displacement of such .bracket to facilitate replacement of said panel, the marginal portions of said frangible panel intermediate said opposite marginal portions being free of attachment to said door so as to facilitate removal of a broken panel `intorder to make said handle freely accessible.

2. A cabinet doorhaving alatch-,mechanism comprising a handle on theoutside of the door, said door being l.provided with .a recessed zportion dn which said handle fits without projecting beyond the main plane of the'outside of the door, and a frangible panel seated against the outside 'ofthe door in covering relationA to said yhandle and adapted to be broken `away to aford access to said handle, means for holding said panel in place comprising a pair of brackets respectively associated With opposite marginal portions of said panel and secured to said door, said brackets 'hav-ing recessed portions which cooperate with saiddoorfto form sockets 'Which respectively receive the lentire lengthslo'f the respectively associated ymarginal panel portions, one of said bracekets beingdisplaceably scure'cl to saiddoor to permit displacement of such/bracket to lfacilitate replacement of =said panel, the marginal portions of said frangible panel intermediate -said opposite marginal-portions 'being 4`-free of attachment yto fsai'd door so aswto facilitate `removal rof a broken panel in order to xmalte Asaid '-handle freely accessible.

References Cited inthe file of this patent l UNITED 4SIA'IES PATENTS vk'923,115 Cole May 25, 1909 5947,528 Hunter Jan. 25, 1591'0 '992,633 Auth May 16, v1911 l,l'D6,072 Beach Aug. 4, 'l'9`l4 1,136,141 Kelly Apr. 2'0, '191'5 y1,263,420 Siddall Oct. 3l, 'l'9l`6 1,204,215 Voorhees Nov. 7, 1916 '1,870,731 Iassacson Aug. 9, 1932 1,925,1059 Sheard Aug. 29, 1933 V1,990,127 TEbert Feb. l2, '19315 2,594,253 'VanderVeer Apr. 22, 1'9-52 

